Probably not. The law says that state and local political parties can raise unlimited soft-money for state and local races, but they can’t use those soft-money dollars to engage in “public communications” that refer to candidates for federal office (representatives, senators, and presidents).

But the act defines “public communication” as:

“a communication by means of any broadcast, cable or satellite communication, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, mass mailing or telephone bank to the general public, or any other form of general public political advertising.”

While the catch-all at the end would seem to include the Internet, the FEC sepcifically ruled that communications over the Internet aren’t included in the definition. The FEC also cited the Internet’s two-way nature as a reason for the exemption: “Congress did not include other forms of two-way dialogue such as candidate forums, rallies, debates or other events that are open to the public.”

Does the Incumbent Protection Act include the Internet?